


30 Days of LawSan

by AoiTsukikage



Category: One Piece
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-20 22:00:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4803794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AoiTsukikage/pseuds/AoiTsukikage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short Law/Sanji fics inspired by those '30 days of OTP' prompt lists going around tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> These are taken from a list of '30 days of OTP prompts' that I found on tumblr (and then modified somewhat with prompts of my own). I probably won't actually be able to get out one fic per day, but I've been having a bit of writer's block lately and writing short fics seems like a good way to work past that!
> 
> Comments are always appreciated!

**Day One Prompt: First Kiss**  
Rating: PG-13  
**Other Notes: Spoilers for recent chapters**

****

"Thank you."

"For what?" Sanji glanced behind him as Law glided up with near silence, his ever-present frown still in place despite the words of gratitude.

"I realize I was…blunt with you in our last interaction, but you did keep Caesar from falling into enemy hands, and enemy hands that were far larger than I could have anticipated," he relayed, his voice even and lacking any shred of honesty that might have told Sanji whether his words were more than perfunctory.

"Yeah, well, you asked me to. Or told me to," he decided, since it wasn't as if Law had worded it as a request. "And then you…" he paused, frowning around the cigarette caught between his lips before shrugging his shoulders. That was altogether too personal, especially since Law probably only viewed him as a tool.

A useful tool, maybe, but Sanji wasn't under any illusions that Law harbored any actual affection for them. Yes, he'd heard from the others about Law's actions on Dressrosa, but that didn't mean anything in the long run. They were a means to an end, and now that the end had been achieved, he fully expected Law to take off the instant they met up with his crew again.

Law was staring at him and gave a rather slow blink of his strange golden eyes when Sanji met his gaze, but his expression was utterly unreadable.

Sanji felt, somehow, that Law was still expecting him to finish his earlier thought, and while he couldn't say he was keen on the idea, he also couldn't really deny that he'd rather he and Law part on amicable terms in case the chance ever arose they'd have to work together in the future.

That was the only reason, of course, since he was quite sure where Law was concerned being anything other than the most casual of acquaintances was probably impossible.

"I don't refuse requests from friends," he finally said, speaking as carefully as he could. "Especially not after I hear them get fucking riddled with bullets," his voice was a little tighter than he'd like, but he heard Law's breath catch.

"You…"

"We were all on a conference call," he cleared his throat and tried to keep it from getting tight and making his voice even raspier than it already was. "I heard everything."

"Well," Law sounded as unconcerned as ever now, like the momentary break in his icy façade had never happened. "Whatever your reasons were, thank you. It's better he's in our hands than with anyone else."

"Yeah. You're welcome," Sanji grunted, taking the cigarette out of his mouth to blow a thin stream of smoke into the warm midday air. "I should thank you, too. Y'know. For saving my life," he added, and Law turned more fully to look at him.

Sanji studied the other man, taking him in for probably the first time since they'd met up again. He looked…tired, still, but after getting a laundry list of his injuries from Usopp that was probably to be expected. There were still bandages trailing from underneath his T-shirt down his right arm, and Sanji noticed that he used it as little as possible, but the very idea made his skin crawl because of his stark fear of ever losing his hands.

More than anything, though, Law looked… _lost._ Sanji knew all along he'd been right in his assessment that Law had some personal connection to Doflamingo, and while the details of that had been…fuzzy at best, since Luffy seemed to be the only one who knew  _anything_ about Law's past, there was no doubt that Law had been working toward this for several years and now that it was over he seemed unsure what direction he should head in next.

"I couldn't let him kill you," Law replied quietly, his lips drawn into a thin line. He didn't offer any more than that, and though Sanji was sure there  _was_ more, he wasn't going to press. "I don't let friends die if I can do anything to prevent it."

Sanji flinched, because his initial thought was that Law was throwing the word 'friends' back at him after he'd used it earlier, but Law wasn't sneering or doing anything else that told Sanji he was being sarcastic in any way.

"Friends, huh?" he laughed quietly, taking another drag of his cigarette so he could collect his thoughts.

Law shrugged rather half-heartedly, looking uncomfortable now as he took a hesitant step forward, and for the life of him Sanji couldn't figure out where his head was at.

"If you'll…I think I'd like that," Law didn't sound sure, and Sanji rolled his eyes and strode forward to lessen the distance between them even more. Law didn't move back, his hands clenched at his sides like he was looking for something to grab onto. Sanji noticed he was without both his hat and that sword he carried everywhere, and the result was that Law looked far more approachable than he normally did.

He looked like what he was – a young man forced to grow up far before his time who'd just been through hell and back, and Sanji in that moment lost any lingering hesitancy he'd had left (even if he tried to tell himself it wasn't the case, it was hard to look at Law and  _not_ think of his reputation, inaccurate and overblown as it may be).

"I think I need to learn how to live for myself," Law murmured, almost to himself. "I think…"

There was something thick in the air between them now, something that Sanji wasn't sure what to think of.

Sanji reached out before he could stop himself, his hand tightening around Law's wrist, and he heard the other man's breath hitch again.

"I don't know what I'm doing," Law admitted with a furious shake of his head, his body trembling slightly under Sanji's touch.

"You'll figure it out," Sanji promised, because he knew that Law  _would,_ and the fact that he was willing to change and get over…whatever grudge he'd been harboring for half of his life already spoke volumes.

Sanji knew what he was going to say next was taking a huge chance, and the possibility of it backfiring was just as likely as it succeeding, but he'd be lying to himself if he tried to pretend the reason he'd so vehemently refused to let Caesar escape even with a Yonko ship bearing down on them was  _just_ because he viewed Law as a friend.

He'd never allowed himself to imagine the possibility that there could be more, but with Law acting the way he was now…

Well, it still might get him cut in half, or whatever Law could do to him without his sword nearby, but he was willing to take that chance.

"Law," he said, trying to sound as firm as he could, and Law murmured a sound that might have been interest or acknowledgment. "Why did you really save me?"

Law huffed a quiet laugh, his left hand clutching at thin air again before it came to rest in the small of Sanji's back, and the blond heaved an internal sigh of relief that he hadn't been wrong.

"I told you," Law leaned a little closer, his entire body tense and his voice hardly sounding as confident as the words might imply. "I don't let friends die."

The cigarette went sailing overboard as Sanji hooked his free arm around Law's neck and pulled himself up (and damn it, he wasn't used to feeling so short, but he'd figure it out), lips almost touching…though, he'd never do that without first making sure.

"Can I…"

Law nodded, a tight little jerk of his head, but it was enough and Sanji kissed him without waiting for anything more.

Law was completely still for long enough that Sanji thought he'd overstepped, at least until his arm tightened to pull the younger man in.

Sanji let go of Law's wrist to slide both hands up into his hair, the strands soft and fluffy under his fingertips. Law's other arm wrapped around his waist as well, drawing their bodies together.

Fuck, this was actually happening, but Sanji knew Law wasn't really in the right mind-set for this to go any farther right then. He pulled away reluctantly, closing his eyes and resting his cheek against Law's shoulder.

Law's arms never loosened and he propped his chin on Sanji's head, holding him in an embrace far more intimate than Sanji would have expected him to be capable of only a few minutes earlier.

"Friends," he mumbled against the older man's T-shirt, getting a hum in return.

"Indeed," Law's body was relaxed now, his voice back to being almost cockily irreverent. That was all he said, but it was enough to let Sanji know that maybe…just maybe…he could help Law a little with that whole 'figuring his life out' thing.

He breathed out slowly, feeling the tension seep from his body, and thought absently that, even though he hadn't considered it before…maybe Law might end up helping him, too.

After all, wasn't that what friends were for?


	2. Flowers

**Day Two Prompt: Flowers  
** **Rating: PG-13  
** **Other Notes: Modern!AU**

"Please tell me you didn't buy those."

"Unless somebody's broken into our apartment for the sole purpose of placing a vase of flowers on the kitchen table, I'm pretty sure I did," Sanji barely glanced up as Law slumped out of the bedroom, his feet dragging along the tiled floor as he went to pour himself a cup of coffee.

It was…Sanji glanced at the clock…nearing midnight, but he was guessing Law had just woken up and he himself was about ready to collapse from exhaustion.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Sanji asked, yawning and leaning back in his chair. He scrubbed his hands over his eyes to blur out the images of numbers and numbers and  _more numbers_ that had swam in front of them for the last several hours.

"Considering the only time either of us are in here is to sleep, I highly doubt they'll be appreciated," Law grunted, downing the entire cup of coffee in one swallow and grimacing immediately afterward. "Ugh."

"Sorry. Made it a few hours ago. It's probably cold," Sanji probably should have said something sooner but he could barely form a coherent thought at the moment. "Anyway, they're just flowers."

Law grunted but didn't say anything and Sanji opened his eyes with a rather large effort and fixed him with a glare. "Look, we've lived in this fucking place for six months and there's not  _one thing_ that would make anybody visiting think somebody actually called it home."

That, at least, wasn't something Law could deny. The decor was minimal, there were no pictures or paintings or even knick-knacks out - everything past furniture, clothing, and personal items was boxed up in storage and unlikely to be taken out anytime soon.

So when he was coming home from the restaurant and saw a street-corner vendor selling bouquets, he'd bought one on impulse, and the splash of color it added to their stark kitchen was already doing wonders to improve the feel of the place.

Or, at least, it had been until Law and his fucking dark cloud of a personality had stormed into the room.

Fuck.

"I'm going to be on duty until eight or nine," Law threw his next cup of coffee in the microwave for a few seconds before downing it in a similar fashion to the first. "I'm guessing you'll be gone by then?"

"Yeah, we've got a big banquet tomorrow…with the holiday season coming up we're booked almost every night and everybody else is too fucking incompetent to actually make a list of how much food we're going to need for each one," he rubbed his temples and rolled his shoulders back, even that simple motion leaving him feeling more tired than before.

"Well. I'll see you when I see you," Law finished off the coffee and threw his cup in the sink, going to shrug his coat on. He barely spared Sanji a glance before he grabbed his keys and left the apartment, and his only look back was reserved for a rather nasty glare toward the flowers.

Sanji dropped his head into his hands and groaned, wondering when both of them had become so consumed by work that anybody viewing them from the outside wouldn't even realize they were together. Law had been pulling night shifts at the hospital lately so his and Sanji's schedules were exact opposites and more often than not they didn't even get to sleep in the same bed together, and Sanji considered himself lucky if he got to have more than a basic conversation with Law about how their respective days had been.

It wasn't healthy, not for either of them and  _certainly_  not for their relationship, but it wasn't as if he could do much about it.

He looked at the flowers one last time, leaning in and inhaling to get a whiff of something other than the smell of kitchens and food cooking, and dragged himself off to bed before he fell asleep at the kitchen table.

000

The next time he remembered the flowers was days later, and when he walked into the kitchen to see the water in the vase gone and the flowers wilted and drying up because he'd gotten too busy to remember to refill it, he somehow felt it was only appropriate.

After all, if he couldn't even keep fucking  _flowers_ alive, what hope did he have of maintaining a functioning relationship?

He chucked the flowers in the garbage and left the empty vase on the table, waiting for Law to notice it and gloat that he'd been right all along.

It didn't happen.

But that didn't really make Sanji feel any better.

000

He was woken up a couple of nights later, before his one day off (and even  _that_ had taken a lot of negotiating and ended with him calling Zeff a few rather unkind names before the shitty old man had finally relented), by the feeling of the mattress dipping and a warm arm sliding around his waist.

"Hey," Law murmured, and Sanji hummed and pressed back into the heat of his body. He smelled clean, not like the lingering odor of the hospital, and his skin was still shower-damp where it pressed against Sanji's own.

"Hey," Sanji replied, turning over so he could look at the other man. "Thought you'd be at work."

"I called in," Law replied, a tiny smirk on his lips. "I know it's your day off and I…there are enough other surgeons at the hospital that they can cover my shift, though if there's an emergency…" he sighed, and Sanji nodded in understanding.

Law saved lives, after all, and he'd never try to hoard his time if it was a literal matter of life and death.

"I get it, don't worry," he wrapped his arms around Law and nuzzled against his neck, feeling a warmth bloom in his chest both at the fact that Law had remembered it was his day off and that he'd actually taken steps to make sure they could spend it together. "Thank you."

"I've realized you were right," Law added, something strangely serious in his eyes. "About this not feeling like home…and about us not making any effort to actually maintain this relationship."

Sanji nodded, his throat feeling strangely tight. Law rarely made an effort toward anything if he wasn't serious about it, after all, so this…it spoke volumes.

"That's going to change," he promised firmly. Sanji leaned in to kiss him, feeling Law wrap him up in a tight embrace, and somehow, he knew they'd make it work.

000

His feelings were only confirmed the next morning when he padded out into the kitchen to start breakfast and saw the vase back on the table, filled with water and a fresh bouquet of flowers.

Humming to himself, he started cooking, only stopping when Law stumbled over and wrapped him up from behind for a lazy 'good morning' kiss.

He didn't say anything about the flowers and Law didn't offer, but from that day forward, the vase was never empty again.


	3. Pick-Up Lines

**Day Three Prompt: Pick-Up Lines  
** **Rating: PG-13  
** **Other Notes: Modern!AU**

"No luck, huh?"

Law glanced sideways, eyes flicking over to take in the man beside him before he lowered the glass he'd been about to take a drink from. He wasn't sure why he was being approached at all, especially since he was trying very,  _very_ hard to project an aura that was as unwelcoming as possible.

"Can I help you?"

"You're Luffy's friend," the man shrugged, flagging the bartender down and ordering a glass of, from what Law could tell, rather expensive wine. "And from the looks of you, I take it you've never accepted an invitation of his before, so I'll give you a piece of advice: when Luffy says 'let's go to the bar' what he really means is 'let's go to the bar and I'll inevitably get bored in five minutes and take off without telling you I've left.'"

And, well, Law couldn't deny that had been  _exactly_ what had happened. Luffy had been pestering him to go out for weeks so he'd finally relented on a weekend he didn't have  _too_ much homework, and apparently he should have just kept finding ways to put him off if this was the result.

"Sanji, by the way," the man held out a hand and Law shook it briefly, though the name at least was familiar.

"The chef," Law murmured, which got him a rather pleased smile. "He won't shut up about your cooking."

"I'd hope not, even though every time I cook for him I have to make about ten times more than I would for any normal person. Twenty times if his brother tags along, too," he added and Law smirked a little because yes, he'd seen Luffy and Ace in action and the amount of food they could consume was both inspiring and a little frightening.

"I also recall him telling me you're somewhat of a womanizer, so why you're spending your night talking to me instead of finding a date is beyond me," Law realized that would probably sound like he wanted to end the conversation but, honestly, he wasn't  _trying_ to be rude. Talking to Sanji was immensely preferable to having drunk people come up and try to proposition him (and yes, he was aware that people found him…attractive, though he couldn't exactly say  _why_ that was).

Sanji laughed nervously, his face red from something more than just alcohol, and he took a huge gulp of his wine when it arrived before turning to face Law more fully.

"Honestly? I'm fucking hopeless around women. I turn into a blubbering idiot and I think my latest pick-up failure was trying to compare myself to a piece of driftwood," he grimaced and Law tried not to smile. "But what about you, Doc? I'm sure you've got some good lines," he leaned his chin on his hand and half-smiled.

Law narrowed his eyes, wondering if the man had some sort of ulterior motive in starting this conversation. Despite his admittance of being unable to speak to women, he was conversing with Law normally enough and his current tone could almost have been deemed flirtatious, but…

But no, Luffy had been pretty clear that his blond chef friend only loved women, and anything else would be Law reading into something that wasn't there at all.

"Unless you want to hear rather graphic medical jokes, I'm afraid not," he pursed his lips and took a sip of his own drink.

"You could offer to literally give somebody your heart," Sanji pointed out and Law resisted the urge to roll his eyes because if this was what Sanji could come up with when he  _wasn't_ talking to a pretty girl, Law could only imagine how bad his come-ons truly were.

"That might result in my death, which would probably put a damper on the whole relationship," he muttered, although instead of looking cowed Sanji merely nudged him with his elbow and grinned even wider.

"You still haven't told me your name," Sanji pointed out, running one finger slowly around the rim of his glass.

"I assumed you knew it," Law grunted. Sanji had known he was Luffy's friend and that he was a med student, after all, so it stood to reason.

"Well, Luffy always calls you 'Traffy', but somehow I doubt that's  _actually_ your name," Sanji replied with a knowing smirk and Law groaned and rolled his eyes upwards.

Of course he would. Of-fucking- _course_ he would.

"It's Law," he finally said, since it would be rude not to. "Trafalgar is my surname but apparently that was too long for your friend to remember."

"So. Traffy," Sanji had a shit-eating grin on his face and Law was almost…surprised to note that it wasn't annoying him. He felt  _comfortable_ in the other man's presence, which wasn't something he could say about many people, but he felt himself relaxing incrementally without meaning to.

Law didn't respond, though, and eventually Sanji turned around on his stool and looked back at the bar. It was starting to empty out, people heading back to their homes or dorms or out to other clubs, and he sighed and leaned his elbows back on the counter.

"Given up on finding a bedmate for the night?" Law asked as he finished up his own drink. Sanji glanced sideways at him, shaggy blond hair falling rather artfully over his eyes.

"See, the way I'm thinking," he clicked his tongue and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket, sticking one in his mouth. "If  _I'm_  shit at picking people up, and  _you're_  shit at picking people up…"

"I didn't come here to 'pick someone up,'" Law bristled, because while he didn't have anything against casual sex, it was hardly an interest of his.

"Yeah, yeah," Sanji waved a hand before continuing. "Anyway, the night could be a total bust for both of us, or…" he paused, and Law narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not a pity-fuck," he growled, immediately defensive. "Am I supposed to feel  _honored_ that I'm your last choice? That you'd stoop to taking a man home after failing with every woman…"

"Hey," Sanji sat up a little straighter and Law realized he was speaking rather loudly so he stopped, gritting his teeth and hissing out a slow breath. "Honestly? I've had my eye on you since I saw you come in. You're fucking…" he gestured in a rather sweeping way that Law assumed meant 'hot'. "Luffy probably doesn't know that I'm into guys, too, but…"

He finished his wine then, leaving a tip under the glass and turning back to Law.

"Sorry. Guess I'm fucking hopeless at propositioning  _anyone,_ huh?" he smiled rather sheepishly and Law was almost startled to realize he was…considering this. His studies didn't exactly leave time for a relationship, but Luffy had apparently decided he was part of their group whether he wanted to be or not, so at least he'd probably see Sanji on a semi-regular basis.

And yes, now that the opportunity was presented to him so bluntly, he could…appreciate that the other man was rather good-looking as well.

"You are," he said, getting an annoyed huff. "But I think it's rather endearing, if only because I've finally found somebody who has even less talent than me when it comes to flirting."

"I think I'm coming down with something," Sanji slid off of the stool and moved a little closer, the corners of his mouth curled up in a knowing smirk now. "So how about we go to yours and you can give me a full examination?"

Law let out a snicker despite himself, but he managed to get his sudden bout of mirth under control as he left some money of his own on the bar and stood up.

"Hmm, in order to do a proper physical you'll need to remove your clothing," he replied, and the eye that wasn't hidden under a fall of blond hair lit up as Sanji realized what Law was implying. Okay, yeah, it's not like his pick-up lines were any less shit than Sanji's, but at least they could be horrible at them together.

"All of it?" Sanji asked, starting to head for the door and leaving Law to follow.

"I'm afraid so. Is that going to be an issue?"

They'd made it out to the street by then and Sanji stopped, giving him another once-over with his eyes before shaking his head.

"I think," he said as he held out his hand, and Law surprised himself by how fast his own fingers clasped around those pale, slender ones, "that's it's going to be just fine."


	4. Anniversary

**Day Four Prompt: Anniversary  
Rating: PG-13**

 

The mood on the ship is tense.

Law hasn't been here long, but even he can sense it – though the night is clear and cloudless, it feels like there's a storm brewing, one that could break at any second.

Dinner had been free of the usual raucous banter and incessant chatter to the point that Law found he  _missed_ the noise simply because the silence was unnatural. Even Strawhat was quiet, finishing his food without saying a word, and Law wondered if he'd missed something important because everybody else seemed to understand what was happening.

Nobody speaks until the cook leaves, setting a full pot of coffee and a few cups on the table before heading out the door, and suddenly the noise level is as it should be and Law is instantly annoyed again at how  _loud_ these people can become.

"Is there something I should know?" he turns to Robin, the older woman being one of the only people he could actively stand talking to for more than a few seconds.

She blinks at him, something unreadable in her dark eyes before she sighs and reaches to pour herself a cup of coffee. "None of us know the full story," she leans back and crosses her legs, her mouth pulled down into a frown. "But every year on this day he starts behaving rather oddly, and the first time anybody attempted to speak with him about it they ended up kicked halfway across the ship. Since then, we've just learned to let him be," she replies.

Law nods in understanding, and he can see the wisdom in simply ignoring the situation if bringing it up will only result in fights breaking out.

Robin doesn't offer any more information and Law doesn't ask, though he stays in the galley for as long as he can handle the noise before Strawhat attempts to get him to stick chopsticks up his nose and he decides he's dealt with these people for long enough.

His quick stride out of the galley is halted by the sight of the blond cook. He's standing at the rail, lit cigarette between his lips and his eyes focused on some faraway point on the dark horizon.

Law knows he can't get by without alerting the man to his presence, but instead of the verbal assault he's expecting, the younger man merely gives him a rather calculating look before he turns back to the ocean.

His feet lead him over before he even realizes he's moving, but still the cook…Sanji…doesn't make any indication that he doesn't want Law to be there. He continues smoking, keeping the cigarette in his mouth until it's burned to the filter before flicking the butt into the waves and blowing out a slow stream of smoke that drifts upward into the brisk night air.

"Eighty-five days," he says suddenly, his voice raspy as if he hasn't spoken in a while…or, Law realizes, as if he's trying to hide some strong emotion. "I was shipwrecked and left on a rock for eight-five days."

Law blinks, though that's the only reaction he'll let show on his face. He doesn't know why Sanji's telling  _him_ this, but the very idea has his stomach clenching uncomfortably.

Yes, he's gone days without food before, especially being on the run for so much of his life, but he'd always been able to find  _something_ and been able to keep moving.

Not having that freedom, being stuck in one place for nearly three months…he would have lost his mind, and he feels a newfound admiration for the man beside him because of how much strength that must have taken for him not to.

"I was a fucking ten-year-old brat who didn't listen to the one guy who bothered to save my sorry ass, and it was just…just us. He…" the man lets out a harsh laugh. "Gave me all the food, pretended he had more…found out he ate his fucking  _leg_ later just to…I…" he stops, taking a deep breath, and Law can see that he's unraveling. "Doesn't matter. He's fine and I'm fine and we're…we're fine."

Law's still not sure what to make of this story, other than that he can tell the other man isn't  _nearly_ as 'fine' as he's pretending to be, but he of all people knows how deep the scars of the past can run and this…this isn't something a person is likely to ever completely get over.

"Eleven years," the blond sighs and leans further out over the railing. "That's why I've been fucking on-edge all day. It happens every year, I just…keep feeling like if it ever happened again, it'd happen on the anniversary, y'know?" he stares up at the sky but all that's above them is a cloudless expanse twinkling with stars.

"Why tell me, if you haven't told them?" Law finally breaks his silence and the man jerks, as if he's forgotten Law's there at all. He shrugs, looking sideways and reaching to swipe some hair from out of his eyes.

"Because I know you won't pity me or make a big deal out of it," he shrugs. "The rest of 'em, even if they don't mean to, they'll start looking at me different. I don't want that."

Law's not sure what it says about him that Sanji automatically assumes he's too cold to even feel sorry for another person, but he supposes the front he puts up might lead one to that conclusion.

"You're correct," he leans his own elbows on the rail. "I don't pity you."

Sanji nods absently and takes out another cigarette, leaving it unlit and rolling it around idly between his fingertips.

"I don't pity survivors," Law says, and he can sense Sanji stiffen. "What happened to you can't be changed, but being unable to forget doesn't make you weak. You survived, and that's all anybody needs to know," he falls silent then, uncomfortable with speaking so much, and hears Sanji let out a rather incredulous huff of laughter.

"Fuck, I hope you never decide to give inspiring speeches because you're shit at it," he grumbles. Law shrugs one shoulder, rather unconcerned since he doesn't really plan on making a habit of it. "Still. Thanks."

Law's not sure if he's done anything worthy of gratitude, but something about the situation still doesn't sit right with him. The strange tension in the air hasn't receded; if anything, it's gotten worse, and Law's not sure what that means but he's not exactly eager to find out, either.

Sanji's fingers are so tight around the cigarette they've nearly crushed it, a fine tremor going through his entire body as if he's about to shake apart right in front of Law's eyes, and Law  _knows._

He knows because it's the same clawing fear that twists his insides on the anniversary of his family and friends being mercilessly slaughtered, or the day he had to listen to Cora-san being murdered mere feet away from where he was hiding.

Some years it's worse than others, repressed feelings surging to the surface and coming out of him in a rush of emotion he can't even hope to control, and it leaves him clinging to Bepo and sobbing into his soft fur, letting the warmth of a friendly creature, completely free of judgment, sooth him into an uneasy sleep until the next morning's light wipes it all away for the time being.

His crew doesn't know the whole truth either, but Bepo at least doesn't care for specifics as long as he can help.

But Sanji doesn't have that. Sanji doesn't have  _anybody_ if he's been unwilling to even let them see this one shred of weakness in him, and that many years of pent-up emotion is bound to release at some point.

Law decides after a few seconds of watching the younger man visibly try and fail to compose himself that whatever reputation he's got doesn't have to be maintained around these people, and right now his training as a doctor is telling him in no uncertain terms that if he's able to help, that's what he needs to do.

He lifts his arm, holding it rather awkwardly in the air for a breath or two before laying it around Sanji's shoulders and pulling him closer.

"Wh-"

"I won't tell them," Law promises, tugging Sanji to his chest, and the other man hesitates for a moment before heaving a shuddering breath and wrapping his arms around Law's waist, pushing his face against the feathered collar of his shirt. "You're not weak, and if you need a little help to get through the bad days, that's okay."

"I know," Sanji mumbles into his shirt, and his body stills almost completely before the shaking intensifies and he's clutching at Law, breath coming in harsh gasps. " _Fuck,"_ he chokes out, and it sounds just broken enough that Law tightens his embrace, both arms pulling Sanji close to his body and holding him as firm as he dares.

He doesn't say anything, quite sure that there's nothing he  _can_ say to reassure Sanji any more than he has, but he stands there until the other man's tears run out and the trembling in his limbs has almost subsided.

Sanji pulls back then, clearing his throat awkwardly and chancing a look toward the galley door. Nobody's come out in the time they've been on the deck, which is probably for the best, but it's late enough that some of them will likely start heading toward the bunkrooms soon so Sanji's wariness is understandable.

The younger man's visible eye is red and he looks exhausted, though Law can tell he's far more composed now and he figures that means his work is done.

He turns away without saying anything, a little surprised when Sanji's hand comes to grip his wrist and hold tightly.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," Sanji lets his hand fall and reaches to rub the back of his neck. "I mean, you didn't have to…"

"No. I didn't. But suffice to say I've had enough…trauma in my own past that I know what you're feeling," he decides that's safe enough and Sanji nods thoughtfully, pursing his lips. "Do you require anything else of me?"

"There's a bench in the aquarium. It's not the best place to sleep but nobody's going to come in there at night," is all he mutters before stalking away in the opposite direction from the aquarium, and Law narrows his eyes and wonders what that was all about.

His feet end up carrying him toward the aquarium regardless, and when the door opens about ten minutes later the look of relief on Sanji's face is palpable when he sees Law seated on the bench there.

He's dressed down to a t-shirt and sweats, carrying a blanket under one arm, and Law  _gets it_  because nightmares…nightmares are something he's had altogether too much experience with.

Taking off his hat, he gets himself comfortable on the bench and waits for Sanji to join him, pulling him up so his head is resting on Law's shoulder and their legs are tangled up under the soft blanket once he does.

Sanji's body is relaxed now, one hand moving up to idly play with Law's hair (which Law would have automatically assumed he would hate but it actually feels…kind of nice). "Thanks. Again."

" 's fine," Law replies, running his hands down Sanji's back and back up again. "But I'd prefer it if…"

"You don't tell anybody I broke down and I won't tell anybody you make a surprisingly good pillow. Got it," Sanji's voice is lighter now and while his flippancy isn't exactly appreciated, Law knows he's not going to say anything.

"Good," he leans his head back, closing his eyes, and once he hears Sanji's breathing even out he finds it surprisingly easy to let his guard down entirely.

Maybe it's not how he would have expected the night to turn out, but he doesn't regret stepping in and with Sanji's warmth on his chest and the other man's steady breaths reaching his ears, it doesn't take him long to fall asleep, either.


	5. Historical!AU

“My lord, you must allow me to-“

“No,” Law said it firmly, not quite an order but most assuredly a refusal, and the man beneath him snapped his mouth shut.  “No, tonight is about your pleasure,” he murmured in a low voice, his hands trailing over smooth skin and shifting the folds of his flimsy robe away. 

The other man shivered under the light touches, covering his eyes with one hand and unfurling his body on the blankets.  His normally fair skin was honey-hued in the flickering lamplight, hair the color of burnished gold as it fell carelessly over half-closed eyes. 

Law worked slowly, covering every inch of the young man’s body with hands and mouth and feeling him finally relax under the reverent caresses Law was bestowing. 

“M-my lord…” Sanji’s voice was breathless, one hand thrown above his head as his slender fingers tightened in the blanket.  “You must…”

“What have I told you about calling me that in my chambers?” Law pressed his lips to heated skin again, following the rosy blush that arousal had produced down to the man’s chest. 

“Law,” Sanji’s voice broke, as if merely saying his name was forbidden – and perhaps it was, though Law cared little for such rules.  “Law, I do not…”

“Hush,” Law murmured, the flat of his tongue dragging over a peaked nipple and eliciting a soft sigh from Sanji.  “Let me worship you.”

“Law!” Sanji sounded almost terrified and when Law glanced up the other man’s fear was evident in his wide blue eyes.  “You cannot say such things, I am…”

“Beautiful,” Law assured him, for tonight of all nights he refused to hide what he truly felt. 

“You cannot mean that,” Sanji was half-smiling now, the look on his face almost pitying.  “I am but a servant, a kitchen-boy worth nothing.”

“Not to me,” Law moved backwards, lifting Sanji’s leg up so that it was balanced on his shoulder and kissing the silky skin of his inner thigh.  “Never to me.”

Sanji’s hand came to cup his cheek, sliding around to the back of his neck as the younger man pressed himself upward.  It was a feat he could manage even with his leg suspended as it was in Law’s grasp, though Law leaned down to meet his mouth so he needn’t stretch so far. 

Their kisses were unlike anything he had ever experienced, full of fire and passion that left him shivering and demanding more.  There was, he had long ago decided, nobody who could awaken his body the way Sanji could, and losing that was a thought almost too hard to bear. 

“You are troubled, my lord,” Sanji whispered, the title almost akin to an endearment dripping from his lips.  “If you wish to speak of it…”

“Later,” Law dismissed his concerns, most especially because in that moment he was trying exceptionally hard _not_ to think about it.  “Right now, I wish only for you to give yourself to me.  Completely,” he kissed the other man again, allowing himself to get lost in the heat of his body and the feel of his skin. 

“You have me, Law,” Sanji promised, lying back once more.  His robes were almost entirely undone, caught only on his elbows, and he spread his legs as if in invitation.  “Always.”

Law attempted to hide the flinch that word inspired, closing his eyes and breathing out slowly. 

“Good,” he lifted Sanji’s leg again as his hand finally strayed between Sanji’s thighs and wrapped around the heated silkiness of his arousal. 

“ _Law,”_ Sanji was pleading now, his body open and yearning, and Law was powerless to do anything but give him what he so desperately desired.  

For it was the last time they would be allowed to be like this, and Law was making sure it none of it was wasted.  

000

“You’re to be wed tomorrow.”

Law felt his eyes snap open, his half-asleep state irreparably broken by the words.  “You…”

“Who do you suppose is providing the feast?” Sanji’s voice was light, though there was a heaviness to his gaze that belied his tone. 

Of course.  They would have announced it to the kitchen servants so preparations could begin. 

“I do not wish to take a wife,” Law leaned his forehead against the other man’s, shifting him in his arms and pulling the shared blanket more fully around their nude bodies.  “I have no interest in fathering heirs or lying with a woman.”

“It is your duty,” Sanji spoke with barely concealed scorn, his eyes narrowed.  “No matter if you wish it or not.”

“You think I do not realize that?” Law snapped, realizing his voice was raised and lowering it swiftly.  “Forgive me.  I do not mean to take my frustrations out on you.”

“I am but a temporary distraction,” Sanji continued as if Law hadn’t just shouted at him.  “I thank you for treating me so well these past few years, but you and I both know this must be the last time.”

Law nodded, his throat feeling too closed to form proper words.  He kissed Sanji’s shoulder, his embrace tightening. 

“I wish it did not have to be this way,” he finally spoke, hearing Sanji hum in response. 

“As do I.  But it is not something we can control,” he sounded as if he was far more accepting of this than Law himself and that might have hurt more than anything.  “I wish you every happiness, my lord.  You deserve it.”

“My happiness lies with you,” Law replied instantly, knowing more than ever that it was true.  Around Sanji, he could be simply himself, and to lose that felt like losing a part of him. 

Sanji sighed, sounding unhappy, though he didn’t speak.  His fingers found Law’s and folded between them, their hands perfectly entwined. 

“If I would not be put to death for admitting my feelings, I…” Sanji breathed out slowly, pressing his lips to Law’s ear as if he were afraid somebody was listening in on them.  “I love you, with all my heart.”

Law closed his eyes and gripped Sanji as tightly as he dared, his heart aching with the words.  He’d hoped for so long, but Sanji had been ever mindful of his place and now…now he _had_ no place.  He would no longer have the favor of the house, or the safety that came with having Law’s protection. 

It was an immensely sobering realization to come to, and one he hardly dared to consider. 

“I swear I shall protect you.”

“You cannot,” Sanji’s free hand came up to thread through his hair, his lips pressed to Law’s temple.  “You cannot, Law, you _must_ not threaten your position for a lowly servant.”

“Never just a servant,” Law pulled Sanji into his lap, kissing him desperately.  “Never.  I shall come up with a plan, I swear to you.  The wedding will not happen,” he vowed, even though he knew that if he somehow managed to thwart this betrothal they would keep trying until he could no longer escape. 

“Do not get yourself in trouble for me,” Sanji scolded him, but then his face relaxed into a tender smile.  “Though, if it is indeed possible…”

“It is.  It will be,” Law promised, taking their joined hands and kissing Sanji’s knuckles.  “I am not losing you.”

“My lord, you flatter me,” Sanji was teasing again now, wrapping his arms around Law’s neck and lifting himself up.  “But before we talk of plans, the night is yet young, and you’ve yet to take your own pleasure,” he growled and Law felt his body awaken, responding to the touch and the voice of the man in his arms.  

“You will help me?”

“But of course.  I hardly want this to cease, either,” Sanji pushed Law back and moved to lean over him, bright and beautiful and everything Law could have ever desired.  “Allow me to pleasure _you…_ my lord.”

 _“Yes,”_ Law let himself fall apart, knowing that Sanji would catch him.

And, if things turned out the way he oh-so-fervently hoped, that was the way it would always be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. This work is partially inspired by [this](http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=52677531) incredible piece of artwork found on pixiv (NSFW warning)
> 
> 2\. While this is probably horribly historically inaccurate, in ancient Rome there were some upper class men who kept a male concubine (or concubinus) before they wed, and they were essentially a steady lover that had higher privilege than the other servants of the house…at least until the man took a wife. So that’s kind of what this is based around, albeit with a (slightly) more hopeful ending.


	6. Love Confession

**Day Six Prompt: Love Confession**  
Rating: PG-13  
Other Notes: I haven't had a lot of time to write lately, but I wanted to at least get this out for Law's birthday!

He hadn’t meant to say it.

He didn’t even have a good excuse, really, since it wasn’t as if he’d said it in the middle of sex because his brain had stopped functioning properly or anything.  They’d just been…talking.  Just talking. 

It was in the galley after dinner, in that lull between the end of the meal and the inevitable rush for late-night snacks or coffee that happened regardless of what time they’d actually finished eating.  Law was reading the newspaper, a cup of coffee in one hand and a pair of dark-rimmed glasses on his face that only served to make him look even more attractive. 

So maybe that had something to do with it, because Law being completely relaxed and casual was a rare occurrence but there was something so…calm about him when he got that way, like it was the one time he could let down all of his guards and be himself. 

Sanji had gotten so caught up in thinking about that, in staring at him, that when Law made some comment or other using his particular brand of perpetually irritated dry humor Sanji didn’t reply and instead the words he’d planned to forever keep hidden had just…slipped out. 

His memory was spotty after that, though he remembered Law blinking slowly at him and looking confused, and then Sanji had bolted from the galley and holed himself up in the Crow’s Nest ever since. 

It was cowardly, and he knew that, but a big part of him was convinced he’d just fucked everything up and he couldn’t deal with that at the moment. 

Yes, okay, it had just started out as sex…and damn good sex, at that…but he was pretty sure there was at least a mutual friendship between them now.  Law was surprisingly easy to talk to once he’d finally gotten him to loosen up on his icy façade, and considering the amount of time Law spent just hanging around the galley, it certainly seemed like he _wanted_ to be there. 

Still, that didn’t mean Law wanted anything more than a physical connection, and Sanji going and running his big mouth might well ruin _everything_ between them to the point that Law wouldn’t even want to get off with him anymore. 

He groaned and ran his hands through his already-messy hair, turning it into even more of a tangle.  He couldn’t hide up there forever, of course, but maybe if he waited long enough Law would go to sleep and he could sneak down to the bunk room without running into him. 

“Mr. Blackleg.”

…Or Law could sneak up on _him_ when he was too lost in his thoughts.

Fuck.

“Law,” he turned around quickly, trying to compose himself and knowing he looked like far too much of a wreck to even have a hope of doing that.  “Look, I…”

“Your feelings are irrelevant to me,” Law said, and the utter dismissiveness of his tone hurt far more than even the words themselves.

Yes, Sanji had expected as much, but he’d still hoped for something different.

“I know.  Forget I said anything,” he mumbled, digging in his pocket for a cigarette and swearing when he realized he’d left them in the galley during his mad rush out of there.  “If I’m just a good lay to you, I’m fine with that.”

“You are.  And since I cannot return your… _feelings_ ,” Law sneered, his lip curling upwards.  “You’d do well to remember that.”

“Whatever,” Sanji scowled, wondering if Law was done making him feel like shit.  Yeah, Law had always been a little brusque and a little impersonal, but he’d never been downright _cruel_ until now.  “So.  Did you come here to fuck?  Since it obviously wasn’t to talk,” he started undoing his tie, feeling on somewhat more familiar ground when Law set his sword and hat aside. 

He could deal with this, he thought, letting his eyes roam over Law’s body as he slid his sweatshirt off and tossed it onto the bench. 

In the end, he was pretty sure none of it would matter anyway, and he might as well take advantage of what he could while Law was still hanging around with them. 

He took his own shirt off, his mind niggling at him a little because of what Law had said: not that he _didn’t_ love him, but that he _couldn’t_ love him. 

There was a difference, although what it meant, Sanji really didn’t know, and since the chances of getting any sort of honest answer were non-existent it was probably best to forget Law had said it at all.

000

“We need to move.”

“Mmph,” Law nosed against his shoulder, his body shivering in the cool air.  There was a spare pile of blankets in the corner for whoever happened to have watch up in the Crow’s Nest, and Sanji reached his arm over to grab one and pull it over them both.  “I don’t particularly feel like it.”

And well, _that_ was new, since Law usually just up and left without so much as a glance behind him. 

He’d been…different, though.  Despite his assurances that Sanji meant nothing to him, he’d been far more attentive than normal and Sanji felt as satisfied as he could possibly be. 

“Yeah, me neither,” he admitted, savoring the moment.  “Somebody’s going to come on watch soon, though, and…”

“They won’t,” Law pushed himself up enough to blink at Sanji, eyes narrowed.  “I told Mr. Nose exactly how many pieces I would cut him into if anybody disturbed us.”

Sanji had to chuckle because Usopp probably believed that Law would follow through with that threat, and he lay his head back and stretched out his limbs, sighing happily.  “All night?”

Law didn’t say anything, his arms tightening around Sanji.  He felt too tense, especially considering how relaxed Sanji was, and it was a little concerning.  He finally nodded, but that was hardly enough considering how fast he’d shut down. 

“Law?”

“I need to apologize for earlier,” Law replied, almost stumbling over his words.  “I think very little of myself and the concept of somebody being able to love me as I am now is hard to rationalize.”

“…Oh,” Sanji frowned, because he hadn’t considered that Law was actually _bothered_ by what he’d said.  And yeah, it wasn’t like he was an _easy_ guy to love, but the glimpses Sanji had gotten underneath his façade showed him what kind of person Law could be if he ever let his walls down.  “It’s okay,” he promised, holding Law tighter.  “I won’t say it again if you hate it that much.”

“I don’t,” Law sounded irritated now, but Sanji guessed that was mostly directed at himself.  “But I doubt I’m even capable of love any longer, so knowing that your feelings toward me are…” he shrugged, and Sanji realized then what he meant when he said he _couldn’t_ love him. 

It wasn’t _truly_ that he couldn’t.  But if he really _believed_ he couldn’t, it might as well have been. 

“Look, whatever this is, we don’t have to fucking label it.  If we’re enjoying ourselves, that’s all that matters,” he said firmly, suddenly feeling at least a little better about everything. 

“Thank you,” Law looked relieved as he leaned down to kiss him, Sanji letting his eyes flutter closed and returning it gently.  “Perhaps one day I’ll be able to articulate things as freely as you, but until then…” he paused, resting one hand on Sanji’s chest and closing his eyes.

Sanji pulled him back down so he was lying on top of him again, pressing a kiss to his forehead and wrapping Law up as tightly as he could. 

He didn’t need Law to say it, he thought as he drifted off to sleep with a tiny smile on his lips.  He knew more than anybody how much truth there was to the whole ‘actions speak louder than words’ idea, and Law’s actions tonight had spoken volumes. 

And, for right now?

That was enough. 


End file.
